Closing date:

Disaster risk management specialist

City/location:
Islamabad
Organization:
World Bank, the

This job posting has closed

Background / General description

The urban sector unit in the South Asia Region (SASDU) is responsible for development of lending and supervision of activities/operations, policy advice and sector work in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Disaster Risk Management (DRM) is a major area under the unit and it has been at the forefront of the Banks effort to build capacities of communities and Governments to better respond to the ever increasing number of disasters in the South Asia Region. While investments in disaster risk reduction, including mitigation and disaster preparedness are an integral component of poverty reduction and sector strategies, post disaster response through recovery and reconstruction support operations have been among the highest commitments of the unit over the past years. The unit also maintains a close partnership with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), a joint World Bank and UN initiative and has recently received funding from GFDRR to support a full time position at the Islamabad Country Office. In this context, SASDU is seeking to hire a Disaster Management Specialist who would be expected to actively participate in the ongoing dialogue on Disaster Risk Management both with the Government and various stakeholders / partners and to also contribute towards the design, preparation, and supervision of investment programs / initiatives in disaster risk management as well as the preparation of sector strategies / reports covering the whole spectrum of ex-ante and ex-post interventions.

Duties and accountabilities

- The selected staff member would act as the country focal point / coordinator for DRM issues and would be expected to work with minimal supervision for implementation of the national DRM program and taking the national DRM agenda forward in line with the country assistance and sector strategies. He / She would also be expected to devote some amount of time to regional work and the possibility of integration of DRM aspects in regular unit projects and programs. Duties and accountabilities will also include the following: 1. Oversee DRM program implementation Participate to the management of all in-country aspects of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) country program portfolio
- As member of the unit team undertake project preparation, appraisal and supervision in the field of expertise; technical review and analysis of various client reports, sector reports, technical assistance interventions and regular reporting requirements
- Be a member of the rapid response team and undertake needs assessment missions as and when required in post disaster / post crisis situations
- Participate in regional initiatives, programs and projects relating to disaster risk management and emergency response including strategy formulation, project preparation and regular supervision functions as and when required 2. Manage a comprehensive in-country sectoral dialogue with critical stakeholders
- Strengthen in-country partnerships and coordinate with relevant agencies, academia, the UN and donors on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) including policy dialogue and development of a country portfolio.
- Interface with implementing organizations regarding project proposals submitted for GFDRR funding to ensure proposals meet GFDRR’s program objectives and grant guidelines.
- Represent the Bank /GFDRR at internal and external meetings and deliver presentations on Track II country program portfolio as well as on GFDRR in general. 3. Support a government led coordination on DRM and build critical capacities
- Strengthen in-country capacity of government counterparts to plan, prioritize and implement a DRM and CCA agenda
- Advocate for cross-sectoral platforms to review and improve risk reduction and climate change adaptation in Bank CAS as well as current and new national development plans such as PRSP for its mainstreaming in the development agenda and alert management (both country and sector) to issues requiring attention 4. Contribute to knowledge management
- Lead/initiate/participate in analytical and strategic work pertaining to disaster risk management with a focus to better identify strategic priorities for the sector
- Promote and facilitate knowledge exchange and dissemination in disaster risk management and climate change adaptation between countries, sectors and regions
- Advise country teams and Task Team Leaders on use of Operational Policy/Bank Procedure (OP/BP) 8.00 for rapid response to crises
Selection Criteria
- Advanced university degree in the social sciences or in engineering and a minimum of 5 years of relevant Bank and/or external experience
- Experience in post disaster response operations and post disaster needs assessments in Pakistan, experience in any another country in the South Asia Region would be considered an advantage
- Demonstrated expertise and extensive knowledge of disaster management including institutional structures and issues in the country as well as International frameworks such as the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)
- Demonstrated effective communication skills including speaking / presenting and writing to senior Bank management, government officials, donor partners, etc.
- Excellent analytical skills and demonstrated ability to think strategically
- Proven track record of working effectively independently, requiring only general guidance even on complex issues as well as outstanding interpersonal skills, effective team member on significant tasks, programs or issues requiring operational knowledge and experience
- Understanding of Bank’s procedures and experience with Bank operations would be a plus.

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